Tipping point
by Truestrike
Summary: Meet Rye Endo- an acclaimed human assassin hired by Cerberus to aid Shepard in her fight against the collectors, how will she fit into Shepard's dysfunctional family? Can she deal with the threat of the collectors or will this fight prove to much for the battle weary killer especially with a romance blossoming with none other than her turian crew mate Garrus vakarian! Watch out :)
1. Chapter 1

**my first fanfic written on this site- well here it is :) I hope you enjoy and please leave a review I'd be interested to know what you think... Keep **

disclaimer- bioware for characters from M.E- rye, Hato, Elle are mine

Chapter one- break away.

Rye Endo swallowed hard and rolled onto her side staring intently at the flashing com terminal her eyes narrowing.  
The beeping was endless, whoever it was wanted her greatly and that in itself made her frown- that terminal was set up simply for purpose of potential employment. She groaned her arm coming up to hide her face as she scrunched her eyes shut, trying and failing to block out the shrill blaring- she'd been home less than three days and now another call... Fuck!

"You goin' to answer that?"

"No" she replied quick not bothering to look at the man who as per usual would have took up place standing against the door frame to her room and would have no doubt been giving her that stupid raised eyebrow look which he knew all too well.

"Rye" he sighed heavily eyeing the blonde who had curled up in her bed, short hair fanning out around her young features- he frowned at her shaking his head softly... She'd changed of late.

Rye glanced passed her arm to him, saw him advancing on the terminal and groaned low... damn it Hato! She snapped mentally as the tattooed man continued on toward the com.

Hato glanced to her, his hazel eyes burned with mischief, as his hand hit the panel.

There was silence for a long time "miss Endo?" An unknown males voice pressed eventually.

hato glanced to the blonde haired girl who now sat up and frowned at him, her stunning blue eyes intense burning into the heavily tattooed man who sighed, "speaking" he replied, the voice changer distorted his voice over the communication channel masking his identity completely.

"Ahh" the male sighed in response, somewhat relieved "I was beginning to give up hope of reaching you- seems that you're almost impossible to contact- I came to a lot of dead ends"

Rye shifted from where she sat and stood up slowly heading to the terminal in the corner of her room and shaking her head, "it's comes with the territory" she responded softly.

The unknown man laughed a little "I understand" there was a serious of clicks from his side, "i require your particular skills for an assignment of great importance"

She arched her eyebrow at this, "doesn't everyone?"

"Not everyone is me" she could hear the cold overtone of his words and frowned this guy was rather cocky or extremely honest, after all she didn't know who he was, he could have been someone of great importance, "miss Endo- I cannot stress enough just how significant this assignment will be and I do require your-" his voice dropped low "immediate assistance"

"I'm listening" she mused lightly, "how Much?"

"15,000 down payment. 30,000 per month and another 15,000 at the end of your assignment"

"Per month?" She repeated slowly.

"This may be an assignment consisting of a considerable time period- I need your decision miss Endo- now"

Rye glanced to Hato and nodded once sternly to his half smile, before turning her attention back to the terminal, "I accept"

"Good- I'll send a directive to your omnitool meet my operative at this location you will be going under her orders understand? She is your employer not I"

Rye ran her tongue over her bottom lip and swallowed "perfectly"

"Good"

"How will I know her?"

"She'll come to you, considering your reputation you should be easy enough to spot" she heard him draw a deep deep breath, "it's pleasure to have you working along side us, miss Endo", rye smiled at her omni tool and clicked on the file the man had sent as the terminal in front of her crackled and died.

She never asked for details it was simple with her, creds and a kill but this sounded unlike her usual jobs- this was different and from the amount the guy was paying her it was fucking dangerous.

Rye Endo was born and bred to be a killer and it showed in her skill, this line of work was all she had ever knew and because of that she was brutal and deadly, calculated and completely ruthless toward her kills- never did she pry about a target the less she knew the better... after all who'd want to know that the man she was hired to kill was married with a wife and kids, a devoted alliance soldier fighting for his planet... It was simpler to be in the dark, a shadow keeping their head down and blade sharp.  
Rye quickly scanned the contents of the data and cocked her head slightly, omega? Huh? She whispered mentally people on omega didn't need her kind of help they preferred to do it themselves, There was no need for sneaking around no need for what she was...

Rye's dark eyebrow arched slightly, a smile on her lips before she glanced to her friend who stared back at her long and hard- she'd never seen that look on his face before... well never toward her that is- he looked pissed

"You were going to say no" he frowned his voice laced with disapproval.

"I wasn't going to answer the call- there's a difference" she retorted coolly

"Big fucking difference" he shook his head and ground his teeth throwing his hands up in the air, she frowned at him, "get your head back in the fucking game rye" he snapped pushing on her shoulder sharply, glaring at the scars that marked her.  
Rye looked to her left shoulder where the sniper shot had ripped through her flesh, the incendiary bullet doing permanent damage leaving a strange red glow, that only burn victims came to know, to a patch of her skin.

It wasn't big but it was noticeable against her paleness

That little beauty had happened years ago but fuck! this guy would never let her forget her one fucking failure! That c-sec officer was good... She admired him for that, and the fact that he was the hottest turian she had ever encountered in her lifetime kind of made up for the nasty bullet hole.

"My head- is in the game" she snarled turning on her heel her back to him. Hato ran his eyes down her frame taking in the tattoo's that littered her arms and back, her shorts and vest showing them off along...with her stunning body, he swallowed hard.  
Her ass and thighs toned from the endless training she'd constantly endured, arms lined delicately with muscle, he could from his position see the side of her small breasts that always seemed to look like a perfect handful but never had he had the pleasure to try them out... Never would she allow him that.

She turned a fraction and frowned at him, yet still although the anger was evident her eyes they still shone like some unknown gem so bright and vibrant that they burned deep into his soul.

"I- I'm sorry" he looked away and inhaled deeply running a tanned hand over his shaved head, "just go- rye..."

She snarled slightly and motioned to the door, silently demanding him to leave, he sighed heavily and nodded exiting the room leaving the assassin to change.

Rye got changed slowly and ground her teeth as she packed a small bag before glancing around her room... She walked to the terminal and ripped the wiring box free from the comm, disabling it permanently after all this was to be her last job... Now she going solo, no more would she have her friends or family, this was it- her decision made it was finality. she was starting a new chapter of a new life.

She looked to her omni tool and deleted comm addresses putting blocks into place.  
Rye smiled at this walked to the picture on the beside table and examined it with a half sneer, it was back at YNN Academy her entire class sitting in their grey jumpsuits all of them just a series of numbers sitting staring back at the camera... That academy forged the best human assassins in the galaxy herself being amongst them.  
she stuffed the photo into her bag and exited the room.

Hato awaiting in the hallway, "rye- what's up with you?" He pressed instantly staring at the blonde who was now dressed in her armour.

The attire she wore was black tight fitting outlining her subtle curves, flexible armoured plating littering her body curving over her shoulders and chest, her stomach, forearms and and running down the length of her legs, her thick knife belt hung around her hips a pistol peering out from behind one of the knife sheaths, a modded mantis sniper in the holster on the small of her back the woman could hold a fucking armoury and still run as if she were wearing nothing.

It was something that he adored about her, he watched as she adjusted her gloves, noted her hood which was down and sighed at the sentry interface she pushed back in her hair like a hairband. She was fucking hot in armour... And dangerous as hell.  
She halted in her tracks and glared at him, "nothing" she replied sternly

"Rye-" her eyes instantly flipped to the young girl who bounded down the hallway toward them, her dark curly hair falling over her features concealing one of her eyes.  
she blew it back and laughed shrilly coming to the assassin and wrapping her arms tightly around her leg her head against her hip, "where're you going?" She pressed quietly.

Rye sighed softly and gnawed on the inside of her cheek, she looked guilty as hell Hato acknowledge as she frowned slightly the inner struggle that she was having scrolled across her features, her cheeks flushed slightly as her hair fell over her forehead and into her eyes, "Elle-" she slipped the silver ring from her finger and crouched down taking the girls small hand in hers and slipping the ring onto her thumb, "I'll be back soon" she lied.

every time she left this process took place that ring was proof that she would come back and it settled the girl, although this time she was lying... After she left this apartment she'd never see the child again.

Rye inhaled deeply and turned to Hato, 'after this one- I'm getting out of the game' he frowned at her, at the use of their native tongue, the girl staring idly at them confusion sweeping across her features unable to understand what was being said. 'Im leaving- Elle will be all yours, and I will be gone'

Hato glared at her "Elle- give us a minute, yes?" She nodded and bounded off as soon as the girl was gone Hato grabbed rye's arm and pushed her back against the wall 'you are fucking kidding!' He yelled back at her in Japanese

'No- I'm sick of this' she shrugged off his hold and pulled the strap of her bag up onto her shoulder 'I'm going to get you killed, just like kariko got her friends killed'  
His eyes were hard, jaw tight 'I also went to Yosha Na Nai- so You're a fucking idiot for thinking that you would put us in danger'

'Hato- I rescued that girl to give her a normal life... She thinks you're her father. After this job I'm leaving and you two are moving back to earth'

'What? You're insane!'

She fished around in her bag and pulled out a data pad handing it to him before softly touching his cheek 'Hato Kumasi- listen to me... I can't do this any more every time I do a hit I worry for you and for her it's ridiculous... That datapad contains the address of your new home, it has travel details and boarding passed they're open so you can leave whenever'

'Rye- I'm not leaving you...' He grabbed her hand sharply and pulled her body into his 'you'll get yourself killed'

Instantly she pulled away and turned her back to him "goodbye ani" she breathed softly switching back to English.

He frowned deeply and swallowed "we'll stay in touch rye"

She laughed softly and tossed him wiring box from the terminal he glared at her that one piece of equipment was the only way to guarantee contact with the assassin and she'd destroyed it... She was serious there was to be no contact what so ever with her she wanted to be alone? Wanted them to forget her...

He watched as she hit her cloaking device and disappeared.

* two days later.

Rye sat in omega's nightclub afterlife and leaned back in her chair, her hood was up concealing her features as she bowed her head slightly, taking another deep drink from her glass.

The heavy rhythmic bass washing through her as she glanced around the club before shaking her head slightly, this place was brimming with people just like herself...  
Omega was a haven for killers and for some reason she felt completely at ease every time she visited anything went on omega.

She ran her tongue over her bottom lip and sighed softly glancing up to the approaching trio who idly sauntered to her.

one glance and she knew all of them, commander Jennifer Shepard. Hmm her mind muttered... She was supposed to be dead? And now here she is very much alive and wearing Cerberus armour? Well that was something you didn't see everyday the first human spectre returning to life and banding together with a pack of racist xenophobic bastards like Cerberus.

She examined Shepard closely the woman's dark hair was pulled back into a high ponytail, wisps of wavy hair still falling over her features features that were laced with small red cybernetic scars, scars which on a face like Shepard's still looked pretty... The woman was beautiful with high cheekbones and just tanned skin, dark brown eyes like melted chocolate and rose lips.

The second of the trio was Miranda Lawson, A head honcho for Cerberus and the third, a one Jacob Taylor, also Cerberus... So, Cerberus was her employer for the moment- what an odd turn of events considering the amount of operatives she'd taken the lives of, the illusive man was clearly more forgiving than herself... Or he was very desperate.

The dark haired commander stopped at the table and nodded to Miranda quirking an eyebrow at the hooded woman, "that's her Shepard" she responded softly

"Rye Endo?" Rye nodded glancing to Shepard's side at the asari who now glared in her direction, hmmm bad blood? She mused mentally, the Asari was going to try something she could feel it in her bones... "I'm-" the asari fired a round off, easily deflected by the biotic shield the assassin had threw up around the group.  
she was on her feet in an instant and launched the asari off her own slamming her back into a table before her frame connected with the wall behind her, the trio watched as her body slid down hitting the floor with an oomph sound.

Shepard frowned slightly as the assassin glowed blue with powerful biotics, she walked slowly to the asari who lay gasping on the floor the breath knocked from her lungs the force of the hit had done some fucking damage to her back... The humans biotics were honed that was for sure.

she watched as rye raised a fist, it pulsed furiously with dark energy, rye grunted grabbed the asari with her free hand her fist balling around the material of her top raising her up slightly from the ground, "big fucking mistake" rye hissed as her fist launched into the asari's terrified face making the woman scream blood splashing against the humans clothing.

Rye's lip curled back in distaste as she dropped the asari's broken body to the floor and turned back to Shepard wiping her bloodied knuckles on her thigh before folding her arms across her stomach and bowing, "i apologise for-" she glanced to the asari before frowning and looking back to Shepard, "that"

Shepard cleared her throat and shrugged slightly, "she attacked first" Shepard clarified coolly making rye grin.

"Yes- she did"

"Would you like to leave now?" The dark haired woman pressed softly.

Rye nodded "I believe that would be best" she murmured grabbing her bag following after Shepard.

The four of them entered into the new Normandy and instantly Miranda and Jacob branched away heading off to get changed...

"So this is the assassin huh? Doesn't look like much"

"Jeff her record states she's one of the best known human assassins- her skills alone could prove fatal to you with an accuracy of 0.001 chance of failure"

"Thanks Edi- real way to introduce a new crew member" he made a pfft noise "as a killing machine"

Rye arched an eyebrow and sighed "your statistics are off A.I"

"Huh?"

"Excuse me?"

"I'm assuming with the voice and the way she's personalised that she is indeed an A.I yes?  
And you're statistics are wrong I have failed before as has every one- I'd say there is at least a 5 percent chance that the pilot here could walk away"

"Makes me feel so much better"

Shepard laughed "this is-"

"Jeff Moreau?" Rye smiled extending a hand to the pilot "we met- back on Arcturus station about 5 years ago"

"We did?" He muttered shaking her hand.

She nodded "yeah you were giving a girl a grilling about scuffing up her ship"

"Oh! You were talking to Hackett" he laughed slightly

She nodded again, Shepard frowned "what was an assassin doing at alliance?"

"Hackett and my father were friends- he was giving me some bad news"

"Oh I see"

"He was also offering me the chance to train a squad"

"And you didn't take it?"

"I might now"

"I see" she said slowly before smiling at her sadly "I'll show you around"

Rye nodded waving goodbye to joker as she followed.

Shepard's tour of the ship Lasted around 20 minutes and finally settled on showing rye to her room which was in engineering port bow cargo, the room had been fitted with a bed and settee, weapons benches against the far wall and a small computer terminal in the corner, "is this okay for you?"

Rye nodded "yeah it's great- thanks Shepard"

Shepard shrugged "no problem" she watched as the assassin placed her bag on the bed and sighed dropping her good and running a hand through her revealed blonde hair, rotating her shoulders slightly. Shepard ran her eyes down the girls small frame taking in her lean toned physique the suit she wore accentuating it to the point where it was a crime not to look, her weapons glinting in the light.

She turned a fraction and smiled at Shepard, Shepard now focused on her face on how young she looked and how pretty the human was with her shocking blue eyes framed by dark lashes, her pale skin, dark eyebrows and high cheekbones, her glossy lips pulled up into a slight smile.

Her cheeks slightly flushed, she brushed her hair behind her ear revealing an array of piercings her fringe falling over her forehead and into her eyes as she removed the interface band from her head and tossed it onto the bed behind her.

Shepard cleared her throat and smiled "we've got the rest of the night off- why don't you get acquainted with the crew? I'll see you in the mess later on?"

"Perhaps you will Shepard" she smiled in response, the dark haired woman laughed softly and exited the room catching the elevator up to her cabin.


	2. Chapter 2

**here's chapter two- hope you enjoy it **

Chapter 2- battle forged

Rye had made her way up to the mess and sat at a table alone, the Cerberus crew seemed more than wary of her- It seemed her reputation did in fact terrify them.

The bowl in front of her was steaming, she pushed the meaty chunks around her bowl before taking a mouthful it wasn't bad- but then again half her life she'd lived on turian and quarian rations so compared to that everything tasted good.

She looked up as the chair in front of her pulled out and nodded to the salarian- the only alien aboard the ship, hell she knew how he felt people avoided her as well.

"You seem less hostile than the rest of the crew" he nodded to her

She smiled at this "you're the first to say this"

"Yes- but we're both at a loss, Cerberus aren't known for being pleasant to anyone"

"Yeah you're right there Mordin"

He watched her brush her hair back behind her ear and frowned slightly, "you helped STG at one point yes?"

She tusked softly and took another spoonful of stew swallowing it after a few quick chews "once or twice"

"Hmm- you're dossier said as much"

"My dossier? Why have you read it?"

"Shepard wanted opinion- I gave it, you're a formidable foe and a strong ally to hold, be stupid to miss that opportunity"

"Still- working with Cerberus was never on my list, but this is my last job"

"Hmm?"

She half smiled continued eating "nothing- anyway why is a salarian working with-"

"It's for a good cause"

"Shepard still hasn't briefed me on that cause"

"I'm going to" Shepard laughed  
rounding the corner with a bowl in her hands, she took a seat and smiled at the blonde .

"Ahh so that's the reason for meeting in the mess?"

She laughed softly, "our objective is clear stop those collector bastards at any cost"

"Collectors as in the-"

"Yeah- the creepy ass bug looking things"

"I don't-"

"Collectors. Abducting entire human colonies for unknown reason. Cerberus intend to find out why and put a stop to them"

"Freedoms progress?"

"Yeah"

"That was them?" She frowned her hand balling around her spoon "I had a friend there"

"I went to investigate..."

Rye looked to her and bowed her head "all of them?"

"Every single human gone"

She arched an eyebrow "I would have done this for free" she sighed suddenly off her food, she pushed the bowl away and shook her head slightly.

Shepard smiled softly and placed a hand on her shoulder "they'll pay I can swear that much"

"Good"

Shepard dropped her hand and leaned back in her chair "did you check out the ship then?"

"Yeah- spent a few hours in the training room as well, the sim is quite good"

"You up for ground team tomorrow?"

Rye laughed "I'd say no but I'd be lying- so what's the objective?"

"Archangel- a turian sharpshooter, got all the mercs on omega seriously pissed off"

"Sounds like fun" she mused "I'm up to do this tonight-"

Shepard laughed when rye didn't crack a smile she arched an eyebrow and glanced to Mordin who shrugged slightly in agreement, "wait what? Both of you are up for this- now?"

"Why not?"

"Most new crew members want a night to settle In before-"

"The best way to learn your teammates is to fight along side them" rye smiled "only then can I tell if I'm going to get along with them or not"

Shepard sighed and stood up, "fine" she rubbed her forehead with the heel of her palm and smirked shaking her head softly her hair falling free from it's loose bobble, "airlock in half an hour" she muttered walking off to gear up.

Fuck- she liked the woman already, straight down to business... not many were that keen to walk head first into a potentially life threatening situation.  
Shepard laughed softly stepping into the elevator... She and miss Endo would get along just fine.

30 minutes later;

The trio consisting of Shepard, rye and Mordin exited the normandy heading into omega's nightclub- afterlife.

Rye inhaled deeply the smell of alcohol and cigarettes, sweat and vomit all seemed to merge in the air, This place buzzed with excitement dancers sauntering a round, dancing on tables- patrons tipping them for more seductive dances.

"Rye" she heard a gruff voice call to her the rasp on his vocals made her smile slightly, "I cleaned up your mess" Grizz growled slightly still his voice was playful.

"Thanks" she smiled approaching him, he pulled her in for a swift hug.

"damn its good too see you! all that human ass around me and yet i find myself missing yours!" he laughed smacking her backside to re-enforce his words.

she narrowed her eyes arching an eyebrow "remember what happened to the last guy who did that?" she joked

He laughed held his hands up in the air "ahh- broken hand, I remember" he chuckled and slid his hand back to her ass giving a cheek a squeeze.

Rye laughed softly her hand moved fast her blade against his throat before he had a chance to even breathe, "remove it"

He smirked "I like it when you're angry" he muttered dropping his hand from her backside.

She groaned "you're fucking impossible"

shepard walked to them just as rye was placing her dagger back into it's sheath, Mordin following closely after Shepard, stopping at the side glancing around briefly.

"so?" Grizz mused lightly, "what brings you back twice in the same day? Going to kill another asari?"

Rye shrugged slightly "no, I feel like hunting a vigilante, is that where they're recruiting to get rid of archangel?" She motioned with her thumb to a function room, people sifting in and out.

The turian nodded, "yeah- the bastard has tore through their defences, blue suns have joined forces with the eclipse and blood pack" he shook his head "the fucker's in for a world of pain- it's only a matter of time now"

Rye looked to Shepard who arched an eyebrow, Mordin staring at the dark haired woman, "sounds like thats our way in" Shepard explained,

"i agree" mordin nodded "go in as one of the mercs"

Rye smiled "it'll be easy enough looks like they're hiring anyone" she waved a hand at the turian as they moved away the turian nodding in response.

Shepard walked to the door of the lower room and stepped into the recruitment office, an older turian looked her up down, "strippers quarters are that way sweetie"

she grinned pulling out her pistol, "show me yours, i bet mines bigger" rye bit back her laugh at the turian who frowned his mandibles flaring slightly in response.

"okay... take it you're here for archangel" he began clicking on the monitor in front of him before flickering his eyes to the woman's companions, they looked capable enough.

"go to the depot there'll be a driver there- he'll take you to the meeting point" the turian nodded to her before sighing, "five hundred a piece- annual fee" he muttered.

The trio turned and headed out of the nightclub to the cab depot.  
the driver motioned to his car and drove them to the other side of omega, dropping them off at the meet point just back from archangels base of operations.

They stepped out of the cab and began crossing through the complex, it was extremly unusual to see all of the merc gangs in one place without any infighting.  
It was unsettling rye was on edge.

She pulled her interface over her eyes clicking it on before following after Shepard.  
As they passed through the complex rye noticed shepard slipping into rooms every now and then "what are you doing?"

Shepard smiled softly "getting rid of any problems later on" rye watched her disable the friend or foe setting on an atlas and laughed if this suddenly went tits up Shepard had already shattered their counter attack- smart rye smirked.

They had already passed both the eclipse leaders and that of the blood pack, they came to a stop on blue suns turf.

Shepard disappearing to speak to the batarian blue suns Sargent who was in the middle of fixing a gun ship.

Rye and mordin looked over the barrier and watched, rye studying the way the every few seconds archangel would pop up on the opposite balcony and snipe any mercs that attempted to cross the bridge. He was good every shot perfectly executed, she frowned clicked on her interface zooming in on him as he shot off another round and ducked down again 2.5 second I between firing and reloading.

She gasped inwardly moving her body an inch to the side- the concussive shot whizzed passed her ear and into the wall behind her shattering the concrete on impact small chips hitting against her  
shoulder.

Rye glared now stepping out of firing range- that shot was designed to miss an anyway... Even though she moved all it would have done is brought down her barrier... Why would he do that? Was it a warning? Damn it something about that shit didn't add up!

shepard walked back out of the room and over to her crewmates, "the gunship shouldn't be a problem now" Shepard explained calmly.

Rye didn't want to know how she'd managed that but still had to glance into the room, she arched an eyebrow at the batarian's writhing body the electric was still fizzing through the him, "well... at least its one less thing for us to worry about" she laughed winking at Shepard, "nice going"

Shepard nodded before glancing at Mordin and then at Rye with an impish smile, they wanted this fight... They'd have better be ready for it!

"you guys ready?" Shepard didn't give them time to response simply charged toward the bridge her gun in hand.

Rye chuckled pressed on her cloaking device her body disappearing as she took out her blades, glancing at Mordin as she ran. He was using his STG tactics running to and from cover perfectly executed shots taking down the mercs in his path...

Shepard tore through the blue suns in front of her with her assault rifle, overloading their shields then firing at close range before ducking hand into cover rolling firing from another spot then repeating the action before hurling a proximity mine and covering her ears.

Rye skirted around them silently tearing through their numbers, Shepard watched as a merc screamed his arm being wretched upward, popping it from its socket the click audible.

He screamed as rye flipped him over before smashing her boot into his face, she turned sending a shockwave into another pair that came at her and dived for them smashing one into a wall and easily snapping the others a neck, she was fast Shepard couldn't pinpoint her location as she continued on appearing then vanishing taking out another before walking uncloaked picking another target.

Mordin ran, closing the gap between his teammates, incinerating a few straggling mercs before following shepard up the stairs. Rye finished off the last down stairs before tailing after Shepard as she took down the merc trying to bypass the door.

Shepard looked to Mordin and stepped aside as he quickly overloaded the lock. The trio moved into the room slowly heading toward where the turian stood still firing off rounds over the balcony, "archangel?" shepard pressed arching an eyebrow at him.

Archangel held a hand up stopping her as he fired another shot into an oncoming merc who had managed to hide during the onslaught before he turned and began walking to a crate and removing his helmet as he went revealing his face as he took a seat catching his breath.

Rye stared at him long and hard, her hand pressing against her scarred shoulder... It was him... that damn c-sec cop! The one who... Oh, shit what happened to him?

Shepard grinned, "garrus!" she exclaimed moving into him, "what are you doing here?"

He looked sad, lacked the confidence that rye remembered so well as he sniped her from that rooftop and chased her through the citadel... he sighed lowering his head his eyes shut.

"just keeping my skills sharp" he murmered his voice was low, his Rasp heightened, he was No where near the turian that she remembered, the turian that went hand to hand with an assassin and didn't think twice.

shepards smile fell as she looked to one of her oldest friends, he looked broken, "you okay?" she pressed softly.

"hmm" he groaned and nodded, his eyes slowly focusing on the people infront of him.  
his gaze rested on rye taking her form in, examining her long and hard noting her knives, her stance... That smell it was the citadel assassin. The one he'd shot, the one he'd fought with, he frowned it couldn't be her, she'd surely be dead due to that bullet wound... Why would she be with Shepard?

"how'd you manage to piss off every organisation in the terminus?" Shepard pressed softly

He tore his eyes from the hooded woman, her interface making her eyes glow orange, to Shepard "well... it wasn't easy, i really had to work on it" he murmured, "i'm amazed that they teamed up to fight me"

Rye looked him over, she found turians to be genuinely the hottest species alive... But this guy was something else his voice drove her wild, "not many people would have lasted this long" rye said softly

He frowned "i doubt many people have been in this situation" he replied back quietly.

Shepard could sense a growing tension and looked to him "let's get outta here Garrus"

"Easier said than done Shepard"

Ren cleared her throat- avoiding the turians piercing blue stare as his mandibles clicked softly, his eyes running up and down her body, "he's right Shepard, that bridge-" she walked to the balcony and looked around scanning her surroundings... She'd been here before, "is the only way out" she shifted her weight from one foot to the other and frowned.

garrus strolled toward the balcony ren's eyes instantly going to his ass running down his back noting the sway of his hips as she took a step back, goddamn damn it!  
"Yes- this bridge has saved my life- funneling all those witless idiots into scope" he sighed and turned back to them

"Hmmm- so not back exit?" Shepard laughed "it's never easy for us is it"

"Never" garrus mused, the rough overtone of his voice made Rye swallow hard... even his voice is was sexy she moaned mentally, she'd never felt like this about anyone but him being their at close proximity actually made her burn.

"so what are our other options?" shepard asked

"this room has held them off well enough, with the three of you i suggest that we hold this position and wait for a crack in their defenses" he glanced at them "then we take our chance- not a perfect plan"

shepard smiled at him "i didn't like sneaking anyway, time to spill a lil' merc blood"

he smiled at her "glad too see you havn't changed" he moved back to the balcony putting his sniper to his eye and frowned, "hmm, looks like they know their infiltration team failed" he passed shepard his sniper "take a look".

she could clearly see the mechs that began too cross the barrier and make their way onto the bridge.  
Ren clicked on her interface before grabbing her own sniper from it's holster bringing the scope up to her uncovered eye zooming in.

"scouts, eclipse i think" she muttered, garrus looked at her and nodded.

"my thoughts exactly" he smiled, shepard lined up her shot and fired taking down a mech it's head exploding.

"more than scouts, one less now though"- they all looked at her, a smile played on Rye's lips damn Shepard was a good shot!

garrus took his sniper back from Shepard and nodded, "indeed" he murmmered "we better get ready, i'll stay up here. i can do a lot of damage from this vantage point. you- you can do what you do best, just like old times shepard"

she nodded picking up her assault rifle and left the room heading down the stairs and out onto the bridge for a head on assault.  
Mordin followed close her providing fire support as rye took up a position on the balcony with garrus her sniper tight in her hands.

load, inhale, aim, steady...exhale-fire! she repeated the same action over and over timing her shots perfectly Garrus want the only sharpshooter.  
she glanced to the turian... every one of his rounds a perfect headshot- she half smiled shaking her head softly then again ... she didn't expect any less from him.

The wave depleated quickly, Shepard and mordin returning to the balcony as a heavy mech was unleashed onto the bridge, it powered up firing rounds instantly in every direction.

"that problem should take care of itself" shepard laughed to Garrus's frown, "took out the friend or foe setting"

garrus laughed in response- damn had he missed her "it'll shoot at anything that moves" it was just a waiting game... another wave fell including jaroth the leader of eclipse thanks to Garrus who took his shot as the mech ripped apart jaroth's shields.

"we've still got blood pack and blue suns left" shepard nodded to garrus "think we can make a break for it?"

Rye frowned at this she knew these mercs knew their tactics after all it was her job to know an enemy's strategy inside and out, "tarak won't give in... and Garm He's a tough son of a bitch, it might be safer to take him out at distance" she offered in.

"let's see what they're up too?" garrus murmured, "they've re-enforced the other side heavily- but they're not coming over yet"

Rye bit her cheek "they're planning something"

a huge bang from below had them all on high alert, "that sounded problematic" mordin stated, staring at shepard.

Garrus clicked on his omni-tool and snarled, "damn it they've breached the lower levels, well they had too use their brains sometime" he pointed to the door, "you better get down there Shepard, i'll keep the bridge clear"

she arched an eyebrow at her friend, "Garrus- you need help, i didn't come all this way to have you die on me" she looked at mordin "we'll split up 2 and 2, rye you're with garrus- keep him safe"

"are you sure?" he pressed staring at rye who nodded and took up her position, sniper ready, shot primed.

"Yeah" she turned motioning to the salarian, "come on mordin" she chimed as she began to run down the corridor and down another flight of stairs into the lower levels.

the mercs came fast across the bridge, their numbers we're proving a challenge to the two sharpshooters.

Rye glanced to garrus her mind set, determined she was tired of sniping time to get close and personal the way she liked it.

"hey! cover me!" she shouted as she dropped from the balcony landing in front of a bloodpack trooper.  
her hand snaked to her belt grabbing her blade, she manoeuvred around him angling the knife between a separation in the vorcha's armour and plunged it deep into his flesh, he squealed in pain before dropping into a heap.

she grabbed her other blade and threw it into another's face as garrus snipered around her taking out any that she missed, every couple of minutes he'd laugh over the radio, "got that one" he'd cheer, clearly impressed with his skills.

the wave began depleting "onto the last gate" shepard confirmed over her radio.

Rye turned at the sound of glass shattered from inside the building, the mercs bursting through the windows.

She ground her teeth hit her cloaking device and ran in to meet them head on using her biotics, hurling them back with shockwaves using singularity to suck them into  
the air as she shot them down.

Garm took his chance tailed by his henchmen, he ran into the base storming his way up the stairs in bloodrage, two krogan bodyguards on his heels.

Rye turned, smashing her palm into the face of the last trooper and darted up the stairs after the krogans.

she grabbed one of them tackling him into a wall, kicking the shotgun from his hands twisting her hip into him as she jabbed her dagger deep into his throat as far as she could before twisting it and taring it out flipping backward as he gagged choking on his own blood his body falling to the floor his hands grasping at the gouge blood pooling through his fingers.

Rye held her hand up and pulled the other krogan bodygaurd backward with her biotics, grabbing her pistol from her hip as she moved into him kicking his feet from beneath him and began firing, shooting him continously in the chest until his writing body ceased it's endless squawking.

Rye glared as she turned her full attention now focused on garm who was closing the gap between himself and Garrus giving the turian no room to manoeuvre and make a clear shot.  
Rye began to fire at garm attempting to draw him away from the turian hitting her cloaking device and darting out of the way as the krogan rushed her, snarling when his arms grasped at nothing but air, she appeared behind him her booted foot kicked outward catching him hard in the stomach- Garm grunted as she flipped backward landing in a crouch and dived for him knocking him down- his hand reached for his shotgun as her fists smashed against his face in a heavy continuous pattern.

she pulled her fist back biotics burning brightly, he moved his head to the side her fist indenting in the concrete making a crater, garm growled as the human rolled out of the way his fist coming for her and missing- she got up to her feet fast and took up stance as the krogan dived for her once again, his shotgun in hand- she snarled ducked under his arm and elbowed his opposite forearm, wrapping an arm around his neck as she flipped over him.  
Garrus watched his eyes wide as in this one fluid movement the krogan groaned his neck snapping loudly, the human landed in a crouch the same time as the krogan's dead body smashed against the floor.

Rye laughed softly brushing herself off as she picked up her fallen gun and flashed the turian a smile "I think it's safe to say garm is out of the way"

Garrus nodded with a smile he'd never seen anyone take a krogan down like that before but damn she was good- he noted the way her eyes flickered from him to the window behind.

the thick whirring of a gunship catching her attention, the gunship appeared its guns already primed-

"Garrus-" she yelled going for him- the bullets tore through his armour from his waist upward, his blue blood splattering all over the room.  
she darted to him attempting to cover his unsafe position throwing a shield around them both. She grabbed his body grunting as she dragged his blood soaked form into cover behind the couch.  
she touched her earpiece "shepard! get your ass here now! the Turians down!" she yelled into it over the ships gunfire.

Blue suns began entering through the back window, she grabbed her fallen weapon and began covering fire as she shrugged to keep her shield up with the amount of firepower being thrown at her as well as her attention being diverted, "OH FUCK!" she yelled her knees either side of the turians waist blocking him from the crossfire as she ducked a rocket whizzing passed her into the back wall debris launching into her.

Shepard and Mordin fought their way through a shit load of blood pack and blue suns and finished closing the shutters as they got the call instantly running back up to the higher levels.  
they burst into the room that rye and Garrus were held up in.

Shepard gasped her eyes lying on her best friend who was smothered in his own blue blood unmoving, she glanced at rye who ground her teeth and continued firing, her shield glowing vibrantly... She'd held that shield for longer than most biotics could manage and yet also covered fire at the same time- shit! She was a force of fucking nature!

Shepard moved in, instantly covering them, herself and mordin taking out all the mercs before focusing their attention on the gunship.

Shepard moved to cover taking out her granade launcher and began to fire, the ship catching ablaze and falling... the explosion rattling through the room.

Shepard ran back too them clicking on her earpiece, "Normandy! need evac NOW! Garrus is down!" Rye struggled to her feet shaking off the aching in her head as shepard hauled garrus up. Instantly she moved to his other side wrapping his heavy arm around her shoulder and heaving his weight onto her, quickly clambering down the stairs with shepard to the evac spot.  
Mordin watching their six making sure no straggling mercs attacked them as they reached the Normandy shuttle.


End file.
